By Fred Liggett
FredL@lstribune.net

The 2018-19 regular season is winding down for the Kansas City Mavericks. This week was an indication of just how little is left of the season as the front office planned for Fan Appreciation night. This weekend is the final Friday and Saturday night home games the Mavericks will play on home ice. After Saturday’s game the Mavs have only one home game remaining and its set for Tuesday, Apr. 2. Saturday night’s home game against the first place Tulsa Oilers is Fan Appreciation night with giveaways throughout the game. Game time is at 7:05 p.m.

The Mavericks then embark on an eight-game road trip that will see the team play away from home for the rest of the month of March. In addition to planning different ways to say thanks to their fans the Mavericks front office was busy planning for the opening round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The regular season ends on Apr. 6 with the playoffs set to begin the following work week. If the season ended today the Mavericks would be the fourth seed playing the top seed in the Mountain Division which currently belongs to the Tulsa Oilers. After a pair of road games the Mavs would return home to host the next three games. The home playoff game dates are Apr. 17, 19 and 20. Game 5 of the series is if needed.

Looking ahead to the end of the regular season and the opening round of the ECHL playoffs wasn’t the only thing on the minds of Mavericks officials this week. On Monday the league announced the ECHL Player of the Week was Forward Greg Betzold. Monday just happened to be Greg’s birthday and proved to be quite a birthday gift for the 24 year old. On Tuesday it was time for a roster change for the team as both Defenseman Clay Anderson and rookie Forward Jake Henderson were released. One of the roster spots went to newly signed Forward Max Kalter from the University of Connecticut. No official word yet on who will take the other empty roster spot.

Going into this weekend’s pair of home games the Mavericks record is 31-23-3 and the team sits in fourth place of the Mountain Division. The Mavs trail first place Tulsa followed by Idaho and Utah. With just a dozen regular season games left to be played keeping an eye on the Mavericks and the league’s player of the week is a good idea.

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